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TV Show Review/Tribute: The Gilmore Girls Are No More
sami
After running successfully for seven seasons, the popular American TV series Gilmore Girls came to an end on May 15th 2007. Though it can't be termed as an early end to a still popular TV series as it was lucky to enjoy success for seven long years, it definitely was an abrupt end - mostly (I believe) because CW was all prepared to shoot the eighth season if they could work things out with Lauren Graham. The lack of momentum in the last few episodes to mark the end of the long series was duly compensated by a very deserving last episode, which brought back the memories of the better moments that the series had enjoyed and the reason why it had become so popular in the first place.
When the Gilmore Girls started, it had to compete against 'Friends' and 'Survivor' - two of the most popular TV shows ever, and it reached the peak of its success during its fifth season when 'LOST' had debuted and swept everyone off their feet. The TV show is said to be more popular among the family(read female) audiences with youngsters preferring action based dramas more, like LOST and Heroes. But it is difficult to identify the exact reasons behind the success of the series, against such stiff competition, hence I am going to speak just for myself. But first a confession: I started watching the series only in September last year(The first six seasons have been released on DVDs).
The first thing that had struck me about the series (in its pilot episode) was the freshness with which the beautiful atmosphere of the (fictional) town Stars Hollow was captured by the camera. But the strongest reason why I even bothered to watch the second episode was the unique style of humorous and fast-paced dialogue delivery that I had never witnessed before. Then there were numerous references to English literature, classic Hollywood movies, music of all genres, and food from all parts of the world(there is a reference to Indian food too, and gotta love their pronunciation of the name 'Bangalore' ;) ). The generous footage afforded to incorporate the various town festivals(my most favourite: Festival of Living Art) into the main story line is just another impressive aspect of the show. If a TV show can make someone buy and read Proust, go back to watching black & white movies and try out Thai food, it must be one of their favourite shows. While watching its second season, I did call it my most favourite show, ahead of LOST, Prison Break and the other "youth" oriented TV shows.
The TV show also boasts of creating so many memorable characters like Lorelai, Rory, Luke, Sukie, Taylor, Lane, Ms. Patty, Babette, Michelle, Mrs. Kim that got permanently etched in my memory(I personally didn't like the characters from outside of Stars Hollow so much - except Paris). One character called Kirk, played superbly by Sean Gunn, is the stuff of the classics. If nothing else, getting introduced to this extremely funny(quirky?) and likable character is worth watching at least a couple of seasons in my opinion, the character is that good. Here is a sample:
Kirk: This is not how it's supposed to go. I'm supposed to take her out, we're supposed to exhaust my prepared subjects immediately, and then the minute I get up and go to the bathroom, she is supposed to sneak out and leave me here humiliated. Now I have been to the bathroom three times, and I have to tell you, I did not have to go, and every time I came back to the table, she was there and she was smiling, and... hey, did you see her touch my arm? What the hell was that all about? Luke: I think that means she likes you. Kirk: Shut up! You take that back!
Lauren Graham, the actress who played the lead role or Lorelai Gilmore, is given most of the credit, besides the creator of the show Amy Sherman-Palladino, for making the TV show such a big success. She did bring in a refreshing perspective to what could have become another stereotypical role and it is hard to imagine anybody else playing that character. Fittingly enough, in recent rankings given by a website to actors brining most value to a character, she was ranked third, behind the inimitable Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House(House MD) and Kiefer Sutherland playing the iconic Jack Bauer(24). The other two major characters of the show, Luke Danes and Rory Gilmore, were betrayed by the ordinary performances by the actors Scott Patterson and Alexis Bledel respectively. If these actors were honest to their characters, then they at least weren't charming enough. Rest of the characters were very colourful: Sukie and Michelle were immensely lovable in the first few episodes, Paris was hilarious from the fourth season onwards and Taylor and Kirk were always causing a riot.
All was not well with this series though. After the first few seasons, it kind of became repetitive; there was also a lot of filler material in the last couple of seasons. The entire feel of the show got changed in the seventh season after Amy Sherman parted from the series giving the reins to David S Rosenthal. The real spirit of the show was finally visible once again, for one last time, luckily, in the very last episode of the series which ends with Lorelei and Rory at the Diner having coffee and Luke making Pancakes for them in the background - so reminiscent of the very first scene of the first episode of the series. I hope to watch the series again sometime in the far future, but irrespective of if that ever happens or not, the sweet memories of Gilmore Girls and Stars Hollow and Kirk will be there with me forever.
TV Show Review/Tribute: The Gilmore Girls Are No More
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Deepti Lamba
URL
May 19, 2007
03:25 AM
I started watching Gilmore Girls but then deviated to Lost. Also with Shows like Shield, Sopranos, Smallville etc running there was only so much that I could watch.
But it was a good show and the review is awesome:)
Amrita
URL
May 19, 2007
12:30 PM
hey Sami - I loved the GG when it first started. Lauren Graham is without doubt one of the best actors on TV and the fact that she went all these years without any recognition for it just because she was on the WB and now the CW is terrible.
That said, I'm glad to see it wind down - what the Palladinos did to Luke was terrible! I hated last season and while they took a shot at reclaiming it this season, things just werent the same.
And the cast was great! I think Veronica Mars is one of the few other shows I can think of in which the supporting cast still hold its own in spite of being very "supporting" instead of the Grey's Anatomy/West Wing model. Of course, they're both off air now. Woe!
sami
URL
May 19, 2007
02:56 PM
Deepti, thanks, it means a lot coming from you :)
My current favourite TV shows include Smallville, 24 and Scrubs. While LOST lost all its sheen in the third season(creators too busy providing answers to satisfy the irked fans, resulting in the actors performing like machines) and Prison Break in the second, Smallville and 24 continue to go very strong even in 6-7th seasons. Can't say that about Gilmore Girls. But it was very different when it first started, like Sopranos is now.
sami
URL
May 19, 2007
03:06 PM
Amrita, what can one say, CW had to call off Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars in such quick succession!
Except the die hard fans of the GG genre, I think watching all seven seasons of it would be quite frustrating for the others. But the experience of watching a couple of seasons should definitely be worth the effort for most of the people. OK, at least one season :)
the mad momma
URL
May 19, 2007
05:01 PM
i chanced upon GG and enjoyed it... i guess it was the repartee and the quirky characters that did it... and then somewhere along the way they stopped progressing and started showing reruns much to my disappointment. perhaps i'll just buy the series...
susieq
May 19, 2007
10:04 PM
I liked the Glimore Girls because of the relationship of the mothers and daughters (Lorelai and her mother, Lorelai and her daughter). I could identify both ways. I also like the relationship between Luke and Lorelai. This was a good show with good actors.
emm
May 20, 2007
07:39 PM
I think you underestimate the finely nuanced performance of Scott Patterson. He quickly became one of the most popular characters on the show.
Joyce Sailer
May 21, 2007
01:27 AM
I love The Gilmore Girls. I Was a viewer From almost the first. AS SOON AS friends WENT TO RERUNS. vIEWERS HAVE IN THE PAST GOT A REPRIVE FOR A SHOW . dOSE ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO START THE BALL ROLLING. bring back the gilmore girls.
Noële
May 21, 2007
09:10 AM
I, and millions of fans I am sure, disagree, however respectfully, with your comment about the "ordinary" performance of Scott Patterson as Luke Danes. He is one of the key reasons if the show has lasted so long. Lauren Graham (Lorelai) was very lucky to have played opposite such an actor who brought the character to life and gave him spunk. A lot of us may never forgive Amy Sherman-Palladino for having abandoned her "baby" in Season 6 but we are forever grateful to her for casting Scott Patterson in the role of Luke. When she paired Patterson and Graham she knew she had struck gold. So please, give credit where credit is due. As to Alexis Bledel, well I agree, she did give an "ordinary" performance a lot of the times. But her heart was never really totally in it. Scott Patterson on the other hand was totally invested and gave his all.
sami
URL
May 21, 2007
10:13 AM
@emm, Noele: Luke Danes is definitely one my favourite characters too and I enjoyed it immensely in the first 3-4 seasons. But I felt disappointed when Scott Patterson couldn't bring anything new to the character in the later seasons when it was needed the most. I might be harsh on the actor but that may be because of my high expectations from him based on his own earlier performance. In fact, when the goings became repetitive in the last few seasons(Lorelai vs Emily etc), I used to just fast-forward everything except where Lorelai & Luke or Kirk etc were present.
sami
URL
May 21, 2007
10:40 AM
@Joyce, no hopes of getting the 'Gilmore Girls' show back but a movie is sure to made based on it, if Lauren Graham is to be believed :)
Barbara
May 21, 2007
12:26 PM
Yes, ASP deserves credit for the wonderful, complex characters that she created on this show along with her fresh and witty dialogue but without actors with talent like Lauren Graham, Scott Patterson, Kelly Bishop, Edward Herrmann, Alexis Blede, Melissa McCarthy, Keiko Agean, Liza Weil, Sean Gunn, Yanic Truesdales, Liz Torres, Sally Struthers, etc. this show would have died in season 1.
Out of all of the characters, I grew to love Scott Patterson's portrayal of Luke Danes the most. It was his talented depiction of the grumpy diner owner with the heart of gold that I bonded with and grew to care about.
Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion but are you CRAZY? You really think that Scott's acting was ordinary!! In that case you must consider the performances such as Lord Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet, Marlon Brando's Stanley Kowalski, or Sir Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lector to represent the mean in talent.
Scott Patterson was and is an amazing actor. He can convey more emotion with just a look that the most actors can with a page of dialogue.
For me Scott Patterson's performance rivaled that of Lauren Graham's and it isn't just because the man is fine looking with tons of animal magnetism. My husband and sons loved Luke also (though they preferred looking at Lorelai and Rory). Without the character Luke, I don't think even my youngest son (who had a serious crush on Alexis) would have watched the show with me for the full seven years.
Actually, I would have stopped watching before the end of season 6 because I was so disgusted with the plot and the characters, but it was my husband who refused to give it up. He understood what the character Luke was going thru and empathized with him.
You need to only watch the last episode. Scott Patterson's performance was always right on pitch which is something that I can not say about most of the other's performance in that episode.
sami
URL
May 22, 2007
02:30 AM
I know that I should be in the minuscule minority to have expected more from Scott Patterson as Luke Danes. I don't question his talent as an actor but just wished if he could have added more variety, more colour to Luke in the later seasons. May be it's just about my taste: for example, I like Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor a lot more than Tom Welling as Clark Kent(not comparing Patterson to newcomer Welling) in Smallville. I see the character Lex grow consistently in each season where as Clark Kent is more or less the same old Kent of the first season. Call it the demand of a particular character or whatever.
I completely respect everyone's high opinion of Scott Patterson's portrayal of Luke Danes though.
Carmen
May 24, 2007
01:29 AM
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED GILMORE GIRLS!!! I COULD NEVER GET ENOUGH OF THE SHOW. WHEN I HEARD THAT THE SHOW WAS COMING TO AN END, I WAS SO SAD. I THINK THE SHOW TAUGHT ME A QUITE A FEW THINGS ABOUT LIFE THAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. I REALLY LIKED RORY AND LORELAI'S RELATIONSHIP. THEY WERE BEST FRIENDS AND COULD TELL EACH OTHER ANYTHING. I REALLY THANK THE CAST AND THE PRODUCERS FOR A WONDERFUL SEVEN YEARS.
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